Cap retainer means for tubes or containers



Feb. 14, 1939. c. M.' DAHL 2,147,246

CAP RETAINER MEANS FOR TUBES OR CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 24, 1938 Zi x Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNlTED STATES [PATENT OFICE Calvin Martin Dahl, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 24,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to cap retainer means for collapsible tubes or like containers or receptacles designed to permit convenient removal and attachment of the cap to the neck portion of the tube, but at the same time to prevent the cap from being dropped or lost.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and simple cap retainer by which the cap may be held in coupled or captive relation to the tube or receptacle when detached from the neck thereof, and to provide a device which may be eCononncally produced in quantities and easily applied without material increase in the cost of production of the tubes or receptacles.

Other objects and advantages will appear and be brought out more fully in the following specification, wherein:

Fig. l is an elevation showing the retainer applied to a collapsible tube in conjunction with the cap thereof;

Fig. 2 .is a vertical sectional View taken diametrically of the parts on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the cap detached from the neck of the tube;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line i-li of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detached view of a ring for coupling the cap to the tube;

Fig. S is a sectional view corresponding to Figs. 2 and 3 but illustrating a modiiication; and

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 'i-l of F Referring more particularly to the drawing, l designates the usual collapsible tube having a top or enc wall il and a neck portion l2 which may or may not be provided with external screw threads i3. The neck has the usual outlet opening or any preferred design and a shoulder i adjacent the base of the neck portion l2 forming part of the top or end wall H although preferably set at right angles to the axis of the tube as shown. The tube and neck may be cast or molded, drawn or otherwise formed and is provided with an annular groove I6 at the outside adjacent the shoulder l5 immediately beneath the threads i3 to receive a split ring I 'l constitutin(T a part of the retaining or coupling device. rFnis ring may be stamped or otherwise formed with a split i8, the abutting ends of the ring at this point permitting the ring to be sprung over the neck and into the groove I6. The ring may be made of aluminum, or suitable spring metal such as tin or steel in sheet form or otherwise, and when in position will rest upon the shoulder l5 in addition to snugly seating in the groove 1938, Serial No. 226,417 (Cl. 221f60) 45 so that it cannot come off of the neck of the tube or other container. This ring Il is formed with a radial extension or shank i9 terminating at its free end in a cross member or pin extending transversely of the extension IS and forming a pivot or trunnions 29 adapted to pivotally support a bracket 2l This bracket is produced from a strip of corresponding spring metal and has a pair of spaced apert'ured ears 22 bent down from the sides of the blank or bottom portion thereof which extends inwardly over the shank or extension i9 when in position, from which point it is bent upwardly to form a vertical inner portion or leg 2li and then horizontally outwardly to produce an outwardly extending portion or top and then downwardly at right angles toward the top of the bottom portion 23 adjacent the outer end thereof to form an outer portion or downwardly extending leg 26. While shown of rectangular formation, this bracket is substantially in the form of a vertically elongated open loop, the lower end of the portion 25 being left free for engagement with a member carried by the cap to couple the same together as will now be described.

The cap may be of the usual type provided for d collapsible tubes or other receptacles and is designated at 2l, consisting of a tubular or cylindrical skirt portion forming an internal bottom socket which may be internally threaded as shown at 28. The cap may be provided with an annular top flange 29 which may be knurled at its edge to facilitate turning thereof. A ring 30 is disposed at the bottom of the tubular portion of the cap and may be chilled, crimped, clamped or otherwise frictionally or mechanically and physically connected thereto. This ring is of similar material and may be set in an annular groove 3l or a recess formed in the bottom of the skirt of the cap where it although it is to be understood that the strain thereon is not appreciable, but it must support the weight of the cap safely and therefor-e may be chilled, swaged or otherwise secured in position. The ring 30 has an extension lug vw32 extending radially of one side and provided with an aperture or opening 33 forming a loop designed to be engaged with the bracket or open loop 2| which is pivoted or hinged to the ring il. This engagement may be done when the bracket or loop 2| is formed, and is effected by disposing the cap in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, that is, inverted, and by springing the loop open at the free end of the portion 26, engaging the same with the aperture 33 of the extension or lug 32 is securely held in position and then swinging the cap to the full line position shown in Fig. 3, when it may be threaded on the neck of the tube. In threading the cap on the neck, the ring 30 will turn therewith as well as the split ring l1 and the part 2| pivotally connecting the same so that the cap may be tightened and slide in the bracket to position. This will also permit the cap to be unscrewed and detached from the threaded neck when the rings and coupling member connecting the same will turn in the opposite direction and slide until the cap has been separated, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, after which it may be turned outwardly to the dotted line position, being merely flipped over with the open loop of the bracket which later may be swung outwardly on the pivot at 26 so that the cap will be clear of the neck and outlet opening so as not to interfere with the expunging of the contents or pouring of the contents of the tube or other container, while always being in convenient coupled or captive relation to the tube so as not to become totally separated and dropped or lost, and therefore adapted to be conveniently replaced and screwed in position.

' In Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawing, a modified form of the device is shown in which the parts are the same except that the bottom portion 21a instead of projecting inwardly of the apertured ears as is the part 23 with respect to the ears 22 in the form shown in Figs. l-5, inclusive, has depending ears 22a. located directly beneath the bottom portion 23 of bracket or open loop 2 la, and the pivot 20 centered with respect to the radial length of said portion 2Ia. In lieu of providing the ring 30 for mounting the lug 32 or extension provided with the loop or opening 33, a lug 34 is molded or formed directly with the tubular or skirt portion of the cap adjacent the bottom flange or portion thereof and has an opening 35 corresponding to the opening 33 for similar engagement with the hinged loop of the split ring l1 in the manner and for the purposes described in connection with the other form of the invention. In this form, the cap is applied or removed in a similar way although it is to be understood that the cap may be retained in position by friction instead of threads without altering the useful purpose of the device and when swung outwardly to the dotted line position, shown in Fig. 6, may rest upon the top portion I l of the tube or container in a horizontal position the same as previously described so that the contents may be conveniently exuded from the tube or container. The cap will remain at all times in coupled or captive relation to the tube or container and therefore cannot be totally separated and dropped or lost as otherwise often happens.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a cap retainer of the class described, a receptacle having a neck portion, an outwardly extending pivot member mounted on said neck portion, .a loop member pivoted thereto to swing outwardly, a cap engageable with the neck portion and a loop projecting from the cap and movably engageable with the loop member to swing outwardly with the cap when disengaged from the neck.

2. The combination with a receptacle having a neck portion and a split ring retained at the base of said neck portion and provided with an extension and a transverse pivot on said extension, a vertically elongated loop having ears engaged on the pivot to swing radially outwardly and supported in an upright position on the extension, and a cap engageable with the neck and having an outstanding apertured lug slidably engaged with the loop to permit the cap to be engaged with or disengaged from the neck and swung outwardly free of the neck in a substantially horizontal position or inwardly over the neck to engage the same.

3. The combination with the body of a container having an end Wall with a shoulder, a screwv threaded neck portion and an annular groove in the neck adjacent the shoulder, a split ring engaged in the groove adjacent the shoulder to turn thereon and having an extension with a transverse pivot pin at the free end thereof, a blank bent to form an open loop and having ears bent therefrom pivotally engaged with the pin, said loop having a horizontal bottom portion over the extension and pin, an upwardly extending portion, an outwardly extending top portion and Y a depending portion terminating adjacent the bottom portion, a cap having a threaded socket for engagement with the threaded neck and a flange disposed above the top of the loop, and an apertured lug projecting outwardly in a horizontal plane adjacent the bottom of the cap for engagement with said loop to slide thereon and pivot therewith into outwardly and inwardly disposed positions ior operative engagement or disengagement of the cap with respect tothe neck.

e. The combination with the body of a container having an end wall with a shoulder, a screw threaded neck portion and an annular groove in the neck adjacent the shoulder, a split ring engaged in the groove adjacent the shoulder to turn thereon and having an extension with a transverse pivot pin at the free end thereof, an open loop having ears pivotally engaged with the pin, said loop having a horizontal bottom portion over the extension and pin, an upwardly ing portion, an outwardly extending top portion and a depending portion terminating adjacent the bottom portion, a cap having a threaded socket for engagement with the threaded neck and an apertured lug projecting outwardly in a horizontal plane adjacent the bottom of the cap for engagement with said loop to slide thereon and pivot therewith into outwardly and inwardly disposed positions for operative engagement or disengagement of the cap with respect to the neck.

CALVIN MARTIN DAHL.

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